A substrate gripping apparatus for gripping a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer is disclosed in Patent document 1. This substrate gripping apparatus approaches a wafer supported on a substrate support member from below the wafer to bring a support surface into contact with the wafer, and raises the support surface to lift up the wafer.
The substrate support member supports the wafer thereon. Therefore, when the substrate gripping apparatus approaches the substrate support member from below the wafer, the substrate gripping apparatus must be moved so as not to interfere with the substrate support member. In most cases, the substrate support member and the substrate gripping apparatus are used in a narrow space, such as a clean room. In such a case, shapes and construction of the substrate support member and the substrate gripping apparatus are subject to restrictions and the restrictions may possibly exert adverse influences on processing wafers.
Patent document 1: JP 2002-141405 A